BAY CITY, MI — Bay County Commissioner Brandon Krause says he was “floored and just shocked” to wake up Wednesday, July 10, to learn his friend and colleague had died the previous night at the age of 54.

Less than 24 hours before, Krause said he and Assistant County Executive Michael K. Gray had shared a meal of cheeseburgers and practiced skeet-shooting together.

“He was smiling and laughing, we were joking around about the ones we were missing,” Krause, 40, said. “We had a great time last night. I would have never known something was wrong with him.

He was saying how much he had fun, no comments on being or feeling ill.”

Gray, 54, assistant county executive for Recreation and Administrative Services, died unexpectedly sometime during the evening of Tuesday, July 9. A cause of death has not been determined.

On Tuesday, Gray also extended an invitation to for skeet-shooting to Bay County Commissioner Don Tilley, who remembers talking with him on the way out of a meeting on Tuesday and telling Gray he would call him Wednesday morning.

Don Tilley

“I went home to my family instead and missed an opportunity to see him one more time. I’m not going to get that opportunity now. He was a good man and I will really miss him,” Tilley said.

He remembers Gray as a passionate and caring man.

"The people
who got on his bad side, he let them know face-to-face. It's something I admired
in his personality," Tilley said.

Gray was proud of his garden and antique tractors, especially the John Deere he would load up and drive himself to ride in various parades through Bay City despite a major automobile accident in his 20s that left Gray in a wheelchair.

"Mike
chose to overcome what was his disability because its wasn't a disability to
him. It was a challenge he had to overcome to carry on a normal life," Tilley said.

Former Bay City Manager Robert Belleman called Gray a "dedicated public servant" who he says was good at collaborating with city officials for county-wide efforts.

"He was always positive, had a good sense of humor and was
reliable in getting information. I was saddened to hear the news and I wish his
family the best during these difficult times," Belleman said.

Dana Muscott is acting city manager for Bay City and has known Gray for 13 years, shortly after she was first employed. The two are friends on Facebook and Muscott was shocked to hear of his death after Gray posted about his daily activities on Tuesday.

"What I will remember most about him is he was easy to get
along with. He would walk me through some things so far as the county
government and political aspects of things," Muscott said.

Krause has known the Gray family for years and says he will be missing Gray as both a friend and a professional who took his job seriously.

Brandon Krause

“He was a huge advocate for Bay County and I don’t know if we can ever find someone to fill his shoes. He was a huge asset for us. I will miss him in his position but also as a friend,” Krause said.

During their last conversation, Gray talked about his family and his plans for next year. He was considering retirement and discussed the activities and aspirations he had, Krause says.

“I’m just thankful I was a part of the last few hours he was here on Earth,” Krause said.